Implementation Of New Technologies Research Articles

Association between the Khorana risk score and all-cause mortality in Japanese patients with gastric and colorectal cancer: A retrospective cohort study.

The Khorana risk score (KRS) has poor predictive value for cancer-associated thrombosis in a single tumor type but is associated with early all-cause mortality from cancer. Evidence for the association between KRS and all-cause mortality in Japanese patients with gastric and colorectal cancer is limited. To investigate whether KRS was independently related to all-cause mortality in Japanese patients with gastric and colorectal cancer after adjusting for other covariates and to shed light on its temporal validity. Data from Dryad database were used in this study. Patients in the Gastroenterology Department of Sapporo General Hospital, Sapporo, Japan, were enrolled. The starting and ending dates of the enrollment were January 1, 2008 and January 5, 2015, respectively. The cutoff date for follow-up was May 31, 2016. The independent and dependent (target) variables were the baseline measured using the KRS and final all-cause mortality, respectively. The KRS was categorized into three groups: Low-risk group (= 0 score), intermediate-risk group (1-2 score), and high-risk group (≥ 3 score). Men and patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) ≥ 2 displayed a higher 2-year risk of death than women and those with ECOG PS 0-1 in the intermediate/high risk group for KRS. The higher the score, the higher the risk of early death; however, the relevance of this independent prediction decreased with longer survival. The overall survival of each patient was recorded via real-world follow-up and retrospective observations, and this study yielded the overall relationship between KRS and all-cause mortality. The prechemotherapy baseline of KRS was independently associated with all-cause mortality within 2 years; however, this independent predictive relationship weakened as survival time increased.

Systemic treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease with an extremely poor 5-year survival rate due to treatment resistance and late-stage detection. Despite numerous years of research and pharmaceutical development, these figures have not changed. Treatment options for advanced pancreatic cancer are still limited. This illness is typically detected at a late stage, making curative surgical resection impossible. Chemotherapy is the most commonly utilized technique for treating advanced pancreatic cancer but has poor efficacy. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have made significant progress in many other cancer types and have been proven to have extremely promising possibilities; these therapies also hold promise for pancreatic cancer. There is an urgent need for research into targeted treatment, immunotherapy, and cancer vaccines. In this review, we emphasize the foundational findings that have fueled the therapeutic strategy for advanced pancreatic cancer. We also address current advancements in targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and cancer vaccines, all of which continue to improve the clinical outcome of advanced pancreatic cancer. We believe that clinical translation of these novel treatments will improve the low survival rate of this deadly disease.

Minimally invasive surgery for gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: Current evidence and future perspectives

Minimally invasive surgery is increasingly indicated in the management of malignant disease. Although oesophagectomy is a difficult operation, with a long learning curve, there is actually a shift towards the laparoscopic/thoracoscopic/ robotic approach, due to the advantages of visualization, surgeon comfort (robotic surgery) and the possibility of the whole team to see the operation as well as and the operating surgeon. Although currently there are still many controversial topics, about the surgical treatment of patients with gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ) adenocarcinoma, such as the type of open or minimally invasive surgical approach, the type of oesophago-gastric resection, the type of lymph node dissection and others, the minimally invasive approach has proven to be a way to reduce postoperative complications of resection, especially by decreasing pulmonary complications. The implementation of new technologies allowed the widening of the range of indications for this type of surgical approach. The short-term and long-term results, as well as the benefits for the patient - reduced surgical trauma, quick and easy recovery - offer this type of surgical treatment the premises for future development. This article reviews the updates and perspectives on the minimally invasive approach for GOJ adenocarcinoma.

Modified albumin-bilirubin predicted survival of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with immunotherapy.

Modified albumin-bilirubin (mALBI) grade has been established as a survival determinant in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who receive locoregional and targeted therapies. To investigate whether mALBI could predict survival in unresectable HCC (uHCC) patients who were treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (AB). A single-center, retrospective cohort study enrolled uHCC patients who received AB treatment between September 2020 and April 2023 and were followed up until June 2023. An association between mALBI and patient survival was determined using Cox proportional hazards analysis. Of the 83 patients, 67 patients (80.7%) were male with the mean age of 60.6 years. Among them, 22 patients (26.5%) were classified as Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer B, and 61 patients (73.5%) were classified as Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer C. Cirrhosis was present in 76 patients (91.6%), with 58 patients classified as Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) A and 18 as CTP B. The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival were 13.0 mo [95% confidence interval (CI): 5.2-20.8] and 9.0 mo (95%CI: 5.0-13.0), respectively. The patients were divided into two groups based on mALBI grades: 42 patients (50.6%) in the mALBI 1 + 2a group; and 41 patients (49.4%) in the mALBI 2b + 3 group. During the median follow-up period of 7.0 mo, the mALBI 1 + 2a group exhibited significantly better survival compared to the mALBI 2b + 3 group, with a median OS that was not reached vs 3.0 mo (95%CI: 0.1-6.0, P < 0.001). In a subgroup of patients with CTP A, the mALBI 1 + 2a group also showed significantly longer survival compared to the mALBI 2b + 3 group, with a median OS that was not reached vs 6.0 mo (95%CI: 3.4-8.6, P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, both CTP class and mALBI grade were independently associated with survival, with adjusted hazard ratios (95%CI) of 2.63 (1.19-5.78, P = 0.020) and 3.90 (1.71-8.90, P = 0.001), respectively. mALBI grades can determine survival of uHCC patients receiving AB treatment, particularly those who have mildly impaired liver function. This highlights the importance of assessing mALBI before initiating AB treatment to optimize therapeutic efficacy in clinical practice.

Response to osimertinib in a colorectal cancer patient with an EGFR T790M mutation: A case report

Minimally invasive surgery is increasingly indicated in the management of malignant disease. Although oesophagectomy is a difficult operation, with a long learning curve, there is actually a shift towards the laparoscopic/thoracoscopic/ robotic approach, due to the advantages of visualization, surgeon comfort (robotic surgery) and the possibility of the whole team to see the operation as well as and the operating surgeon. Although currently there are still many controversial topics, about the surgical treatment of patients with gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ) adenocarcinoma, such as the type of open or minimally invasive surgical approach, the type of oesophago-gastric resection, the type of lymph node dissection and others, the minimally invasive approach has proven to be a way to reduce postoperative complications of resection, especially by decreasing pulmonary complications. The implementation of new technologies allowed the widening of the range of indications for this type of surgical approach. The short-term and long-term results, as well as the benefits for the patient - reduced surgical trauma, quick and easy recovery - offer this type of surgical treatment the premises for future development. This article reviews the updates and perspectives on the minimally invasive approach for GOJ adenocarcinoma.

Identification of tumor antigens and immune subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma for mRNA vaccine development.

mRNA vaccines have been investigated in multiple tumors, but limited studies have been conducted on their use for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To identify candidate mRNA vaccine antigens for HCC and suitable subpopulations for mRNA vaccination. Gene expression profiles and clinical information of HCC datasets were obtained from International Cancer Genome Consortium and The Cancer Genome Atlas. Genes with somatic mutations and copy number variations were identified by cBioPortal analysis. The differentially expressed genes with significant prognostic value were identified by Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 website analysis. The Tumor Immune Estimation Resource database was used to assess the correlation between candidate antigens and the abundance of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Tumor-associated antigens were overexpressed in tumors and associated with prognosis, genomic alterations, and APC infiltration. A consensus cluster analysis was performed with the Consensus Cluster Plus package to identify the immune subtypes. The weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to determine the candidate biomarker molecules for appropriate populations for mRNA vaccines. AURKA, CCNB1, CDC25C, CDK1, TRIP13, PES1, MCM3, PPM1G, NEK2, KIF2C, PTTG1, KPNA2, and PRC1 were identified as candidate HCC antigens for mRNA vaccine development. Four immune subtypes (IS1-IS4) and five immune gene modules of HCC were identified that were consistent in both patient cohorts. The immune subtypes showed distinct cellular and clinical characteristics. The IS1 and IS3 immune subtypes were immunologically "cold". The IS2 and IS4 immune subtypes were immunologically "hot", and the immune checkpoint genes and immunogenic cell death genes were upregulated in these subtypes. IS1-related modules were identified with the WGCNA algorithm. Ultimately, five hub genes (RBP4, KNG1, METTL7A, F12, and ABAT) were identified, and they might be potential biomarkers for mRNA vaccines. AURKA, CCNB1, CDC25C, CDK1, TRIP13, PES1, MCM3, PPM1G, NEK2, KIF2C, PTTG1, KPNA2, and PRC1 have been identified as candidate HCC antigens for mRNA vaccine development. The IS1 and IS3 immune subtypes are suitable populations for mRNA vaccination. RBP4, KNG1, METTL7A, F12, and ABAT are potential biomarkers for mRNA vaccines.

Deltonin enhances gastric carcinoma cell apoptosis and chemosensitivity to cisplatin via inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK signaling.

As an active ingredient derived from Dioscorea zingiberensis C.H. Wright, deltonin has been reported to show anti-cancer effects in a variety of malignancies. To investigate the role and mechanism of action of deltonin in promoting gastric carcinoma (GC) cell apoptosis and chemosensitivity to cisplatin. The GC cell lines AGS, HGC-27, and MKN-45 were treated with deltonin and then subjected to flow cytometry and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-3,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays for cell apoptosis and viability determination. Western blot analysis was conducted to examine alterations in the expression of apoptosis-related proteins (Bax, Bid, Bad, and Fas), DNA repair-associated proteins (Rad51 and MDM2), and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of the rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) and p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) axis proteins. Additionally, the influence of deltonin on GC cell chemosensitivity to cisplatin was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Deltonin treatment weakened viability, enhanced apoptosis, and dampened DNA repair in GC cell lines in a dose-dependent pattern. Furthermore, deltonin mitigated PI3K, AKT, mTOR, and p38-MAPK phosphorylation. HS-173, an inhibitor of PI3K, attenuated GC cell viability and abolished deltonin inhibition of GC cell viability and PI3K/AKT/mTOR and p38-MAPK pathway activation. Deltonin also promoted the chemosensitivity of GC cells to cisplatin via repressing GC cell proliferation and growth and accelerating apoptosis. Deltonin can boost the chemosensitivity of GC cells to cisplatin via inactivating p38-MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling.

Online lecture strategies for quality training of future primary school teachers

The purpose of the study is to determine the features of online lectures, essential characteristics and possibilities of implementing strategies for their implementation in the training of future primary school teachers. The research was conducted with students of the first (bachelor's) and second (master's) levels of higher education in the speciality 013 Primary education of one of the state universities of Ukraine. For its implementation, the analysis of literature was carried out in the direction of scientific research, which made it possible to determine the conceptual apparatus and theoretical basis of this study. Based on this, strategies for quality training of future primary school teachers were determined. What found practical implementation in the construction of the structure of the online lecture, which will contribute to its effective conduct. Based on the generalization of practical experience for each of the structural parts of the online lecture, means, tools and techniques that promote active interaction, student involvement and reflection have been selected and organized. We see prospects for further research on this topic: in the development and improvement of existing strategies and structures of online lectures for effective training of future primary school teachers; in the study of the impact of online lectures on academic achievement and motivation of students; in the development and implementation of new technologies and tools to improve the quality of online lectures. The results of the study can be used by scientists, teachers of higher education institutions, academic leaders and managers to ensure high-quality and effective training of future primary school teachers in the online environment.

Improvement of Technologies for Isolation and Purification of Biologically Active Substances from Plant Raw Materials

Introduction. Improving the technologies for isolating and purifying biologically active substances from plant materials is an important task for the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. Technology development often requires changes to the design of existing equipment. During the modernization of equipment for the implementation of new technologies, it is possible to improve its configuration, which makes it possible to significantly increase the yield of active substances at minimal cost. To increase the efficiency of the process of isolating hesperidin from plant materials, we proposed to use a number of technological solutions. In particular, it is proposed to use mixing devices with the configuration of impellers obtained by computational fluid dynamics, when using a Soxhlet extractor to use a heated extraction chamber, by adding an external coil jacket, which makes it possible to regulate the temperature inside the extraction chamber to accelerate the processes of diffusion and mass transfer, and to select the solvent and extractant on the basis of thermodynamic models by calculation.Aim. Improving the technology for isolating and purifying hesperidin from plant materials using modernized equipment.Materials and methods. Flow distribution in extraction apparatuses was modeled using computational fluid dynamics methods. To evaluate the results obtained on the basis of modeling, a number of experiments were carried out, the object of which was the peel of an orange (dried flavedo and albedo, grinding degree 0.1–0.2 mm, moisture content 3.5 %). The quantitative content of the flavonoid complex in terms of hesperidin was determined by direct spectrophotometry at a wavelength of 290 nm, the quantitative content of hesperidin was determined gravimetrically. Statistical data processing was performed using Minitab v21 software (Minitab Inc., USA), differences were considered statistically significant at p &lt; 0.05.Results and discussion. Based on the methods of computational fluid dynamics, to intensify the processes of mixing and dissolution at the stages of preliminary degreasing of raw materials and extraction, a six-bladed impeller was designed, which makes it possible to accelerate these processes by creating axial and radial flows of fluid movement in a capacitive apparatus and maintaining raw materials in suspended state in the volume of liquid at low mixing speeds and energy consumption. Equipping the extraction chamber with a coiled jacket made it possible to significantly increase the solubility of the active substance and extract more of the target component in one extraction cycle. A technology for the isolation and purification of hesperidin was developed, and the parameters of the processes were determined and optimized.Conclusion. As a result of the study, it was shown that it is possible to intensify the processes of extraction and dissolution of active substances by selecting mixing devices using the method of computational fluid dynamics. To isolate poorly soluble compounds from dense raw materials (roots, bark, etc.), a modification of the Soxhlet apparatus with a heated extraction chamber was proposed. Modernization of typical technological units made it possible to obtain the substance of hesperidin with a yield of up to 95 % and a purity of up to 90 % with a single recrystallization.

Driving towards a sustainable future: Transport sector innovation, climate change and social welfare

The growing population and rising need for transportation amplify emissions, elevating the corresponding welfare costs. This research examines the effect of transportation sector Innovation in mitigating emissions and decreasing welfare costs. The study selected the 15 most polluted European economies from 1994 to 2020 and employed second-generation econometric approaches. The study used the Westerlund panel co-integration technique and pooled mean group estimate strategy to examine the long and short-term relationships. Additionally, a fixed and random-effects model is employed to assess the consistency of the results. The research utilized the Granger causality methodology to investigate the outcomes specific to each country. The findings indicate that the implementation of new technologies for transport has a restraining effect on demand, transportation, and overall emissions in both the long and short term. Moreover, the interaction of renewable technologies with green energy profoundly impacts the European economies. The results show that environmental degradation increases temperature and rainfall uplift welfare costs. The country-specific results demonstrate a significant causal association among variables in the major economies, endorsing the effect of innovation in mitigation efforts and climate change on surging the welfare cost. The results suggest that green transport using renewable energies is the way to achieve carbon neutrality, decrease welfare costs, and 2050 sustainable transport targets.

Acoustic droplet ejection facilitates cell-based high-throughput screenings using natural products

Natural Products (NPs) are one of the main sources for drug discovery. Many clinical drugs are NPs or NP-inspired compounds, and recently discovered New Chemical Entities (NCEs) of NPs are emerging as promising new drugs. High-Throughput Screening (HTS) of large sample sets or libraries has grown to be vital for the drug discovery field. Industrial-scale HTS of NP libraries can be limited due to the difficulties entailed in working with tiny extract volumes and the variability in viscosity of NP extracts. For these reasons, the implementation of new technologies to miniaturize different reagent volumes grows to be fundamental. Since Acoustic Droplet Ejection (ADE) emerged as a helpful tool in HTS campaigns for the transference of compound libraries. The aim of this work was to test the effectiveness of ADE for the dispensation of NP extract libraries in cell-based HTS assays.

Identifying and Addressing Barriers and Facilitators for the Implementation of Internet of Things in Distributed Care: Protocol for a Case Study.

The internet of things (IoT) is recognized as a valuable approach to supporting health care to achieve quality and person-centered care. This study aims to identify the facilitators and barriers associated with implementing IoT solutions in health care within a Scandinavian context. It addresses the pressing need to adapt health care systems to the demographic changes occurring in Scandinavia. The vision of "Vision eHealth 2025," a long-term strategic direction for digitalization in Sweden, serves as the background for this project. The implementation of IoT solutions is a crucial aspect of achieving the vision's goal of making Sweden a global leader in using digitalization and eHealth opportunities by 2025. IoT is recognized as a valuable approach to supporting health care to achieve quality and person-centered care. Previous research has shown that there is a gap in our understanding of social and organizational challenges related to IoT and that the implementation and introduction of new technology in health care is often problematic. In this study, we will identify facilitating and hindering factors for the implementation of IoT solutions in social and health care. We will use an explorative design with a case study approach. The data collection will comprise questionnaires and qualitative interviews. Also, a literature review will be conducted at the start of the project. Thus, quantitative and qualitative data will be collected concurrently and integrated into a convergent mixed methods approach. As of June 2023, data for the review and 22 interviews with the stakeholders have been performed. The co-design with stakeholders will be performed in the fall of 2023. This study represents a unique and innovative opportunity to gain new knowledge relevant and useful for future implementation of new technology at health care organizations so they can continue to offer high-quality, person-centered care. The outcomes of this research will contribute to a better understanding of the conditions necessary to implement and fully use the potential of IoT solutions. By developing cocreated implementation strategies, the study seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Ultimately, this project aims to facilitate the adoption of IoT solutions in health care for promoting improved patient care and using technology to meet the evolving needs of health care. DERR1-10.2196/44562.

Impact of information and communication technologies in the teaching-learning process in rural area educational institutions

New technologies have become a necessary element in the teaching-learning process, being a highly supportive tool for teachers in being able to transmit knowledge to students. Currently, there is a lack of implementation of new technologies to achieve motivation objectives in students. The objective is to identify the barriers that exist between teachers and the implementation of ICT in education, seeking to promote and explore the participation of students in the educational process. The methodology used was descriptive to know the elements involved in this process, in addition to observation and bibliographic review. The result was that teachers need training on new technologies, and the economic difficulties that students and teachers present in the teaching-learning process were identified.

Magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy launch with remote telemedicine international proctorship.

COVID-19 limitations have hindered the implementation of new technologies by preventing proctors from coming to the site. We share our first experience of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment with an international remote online proctorship, and develop and evaluate the methodology of remote MRgFUS proctorship. This single-center, nonrandomized controlled prospective study included 94 patients: 27 with essential tremor (ET) and 67 with tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease (PD). The coming of proctors was impossible, so we arranged for the remote participation of proctors from the United Kingdom, Spain, and Israel. A total of 38 patients (40.4%) received telemedicine-proctored treatment (proctor group) and 56 received their treatment independently (solo group). We used the Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor (CRST) for ET patients and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Part III for PD patients. In patients with ET, success rates were 81.8% (proctor group) and 100% (solo group) (p = 0.22). CRST reduction on the treated side was 71.43% [65.83%; 80.56%] (proctor group) versus 60.87% [53.99; 79.58] (solo group) (p = 0.19). None of the patients showed worsening of tremors within 1 year. In patients with PD, the success rates were 92.6% (proctor group) and 100% (solo group) (p = 0.08). The UPDRS Part III improvement was 30.1% (proctor group) versus 39.9% (solo group) (p = 0.003). The 1-year recurrence rate was 40% (proctor group) and 17.5% (solo group) (p = 0.04). No complications were observed at 6 months. We developed a feasible and safe methodology for telemedicine remote online-proctored MRgFUS treatment. No significant difference was observed between the solo and developed remote proctor protocols in terms of complication rate, effect, and long-term results; however, UPDRS Part III improvement was better in the PD solo group. This study demonstrated that the MRgFUS international proctorship can be performed successfully remotely.

Sustainable construction projects management in the AEC industry: analysis and visualization

Within the last decade, sustainable construction projects (SCPs) management has become a hot topic in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry covering from building materials to the construction process. This study aims to systematically analyze literature concerning SCPs management between 2000 and October 2022 to improve the researchers’ overall understanding of SCPs management. From an objective analysis of co-occurrence keywords obtained by scientometric analysis, this study visualizes and conducts a detailed discussion about active studies and research trends. After discussing environmental, economic, and social sustainability indicators and their integration, the methods for improving SCPs management are summarized by a theoretical model. These methods include waste management, energy management, construction materials management, low-carbon management, green rating system, sustainable design, lean construction, knowledge management, capability building, value management, and implementation of new technology. Finally, future research directions are proposed, such as the social sustainability of different phases, the improvement of green rating systems, the development of green technologies, the collaboration of normative guidelines from different countries, and so on. This scientometric review explains the state-of-the-art research of SCPs management and encourages more interdisciplinary research involving relevant sustainability areas.

The professional agenda and its effect on the implementation of telemedicine among primary care physicians: A qualitative study.

Studies show that physicians' attitudes are a major influential factor in the degree of implementation of telemedicine and that most of them identify much more opportunities in this type of visit than risks. These findings do not explain the observed decrease in the use of telemedicine in primary care with the decline of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of our study was to understand the gap between the attitudes that primary care physicians declare towards telemedicine and the extent to which they use it in practice. A qualitative research using a semi-structured phone interview with 33 primary care physicians experienced in telemedicine from Leumit Health Services, a health fund in Israel. A qualitative thematic analysis method was used to extract the main themes from all interviews, and descriptive statistical tests were used to analyze the demographic variables. The attitude of the physicians depended on the perception of their professional identity and their sense of control over telemedicine implementation. The more established their professional identity and the stronger the support from the organization in the technology integration, the more positive the physician's attitude towards this type of visit. Healthcare organizations that wish to improve the use of telemedicine in primary care should understand that this is more than just the implementation of new technology: they must find a way to properly support the profound change that doctors must undergo when defining their new role and professional status.

Communist Quality: Dairy Production at the Leningrad Dairy Combine, 1965-1982

ABSTRACT Throughout the twentieth century, particularly post-WWII, dairy became a staple part of the “modern” diet throughout many parts of the globe due to new technologies in pasteurization and production. Dairy’s significance was felt in the Soviet Union as well, which used food to improve the standard of living and open another avenue of competition with the West. This study makes two main arguments: Soviet dairy and its ideas of quality were modern in their belief in scientific controls and implementation of new technologies but were distinctly Soviet in that state and scientific actors were the ones to define what was quality in dairy production. While consumer concerns were embraced, they were to be rationalized and filtered through the rational actors in the ministries and enterprises. Using quality reports from the Leningrad Dairy Combine and the Soviet Ministry of Meat and Milk Production, along with articles from professional journals from 1965–1982, this study highlights how Soviet officials had to contend with the Brezhnev era’s focus on consumer abundance while ensuring it remained rational. To reconcile these factors, the Soviet Union sought examples of quality dairy products from foreign countries both in the socialist and capitalist blocs while the Leningrad Dairy Combine tried to address subjective factors of quality like color in “tasting commissions” and address the causes of complaints from the ministry and local shops. However, Soviet consumers were never involved in these processes, setting Soviet dairy, and by extension, Soviet modernity apart from other dairy-rich societies in the West.

Rehabilitation professionals’ perspectives and experiences with the use of technologies for violence prevention: a qualitative study

BackgroundThere is growing public policy and research interest in the development and use of various technologies for managing violence in healthcare settings to protect the health and well-being of patients and workers. However, little research exists on the impact of technologies on violence prevention, and in particular in the context of rehabilitation settings. Our study addresses this gap by exploring the perceptions and experiences of rehabilitation professionals regarding how technologies are used (or not) for violence prevention, and their perceptions regarding their efficacy and impact.MethodsThis was a descriptive qualitative study with 10 diverse professionals (e.g., physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreation therapy, nursing) who worked across inpatient and outpatient settings in one rehabilitation hospital. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews with all participants. A conventional approach to content analysis was used to identify key themes.ResultsWe found that participants used three types of technologies for violence prevention: an electronic patient flagging system, fixed and portable emergency alarms, and cameras. All of these were perceived by participants as being largely ineffective for violence prevention due to poor design features, malfunction, limited resources, and incompatibility with the culture of care. Our analysis further suggests that professionals’ perception that these technologies would not prevent violence may be linked to their focus on individual patients, with a corresponding lack of attention to structural factors, including the culture of care and the organizational and physical environment.ConclusionsOur findings suggest an urgent need for greater consideration of structural factors in efforts to develop effective interventions for violence prevention in rehabilitation settings, including the design and implementation of new technologies.

Evolution of Professional Competencies of a Web Developer

The relevance of the article lies in the fact that the activity under consideration — web development as a whole is a popular programming industry. Many companies transfer their business processes to the Internet, and provide users with access to their data, solutions and services. In this regard, there is a shortage of IT specialists of this qualification — web developers. And if we take into account the rather rapid change of technologies, which concerns both programming paradigms and just the release of new versions of software, such as server, programming languages, programming system, frameworks, then methods of professional development of web developers become especially relevant. The purpose of the study is to determine the most effective way to develop a web developer in the company. This includes determining the needs of the company and the skill level of the developer and reducing the difference between these indicators. The task is to determine the method of optimal assessment of the level of qualification, offer points of measurement of this level, and analyze the effectiveness of advanced training. The article raises the problems of effective professional development of employees of web development companies. The way of development of a ready-made specialist is considered, depending on the skill level of the developer, the level of project requirements and updating of the main software. Methods used: empirical research, classification methods. The methods of evaluation and training of employees were analyzed using the example of companies leading web development. The result of the research is a model of web developer competencies, recommendations for assessing the levels of knowledge and skills of employees, recommendations on the level of implementation of new technologies.

UAS remote sensing applications to abrupt cold region hazards

Unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) are an established technique for collecting data on cold region phenomenon at high spatial and temporal resolutions. While many studies have focused on remote sensing applications for monitoring long term changes in cold regions, the role of UAS for detection, monitoring, and response to rapid changes and direct exposures resulting from abrupt hazards in cold regions is in its early days. This review discusses recent applications of UAS remote sensing platforms and sensors, with a focus on observation techniques rather than post-processing approaches, for abrupt, cold region hazards including permafrost collapse and event-based thaw, flooding, snow avalanches, winter storms, erosion, and ice jams. The pilot efforts highlighted in this review demonstrate the potential capacity for UAS remote sensing to complement existing data acquisition techniques for cold region hazards. In many cases, UASs were used alongside other remote sensing techniques (e.g., satellite, airborne, terrestrial) and in situ sampling to supplement existing data or to collect additional types of data not included in existing datasets (e.g., thermal, meteorological). While the majority of UAS applications involved creation of digital elevation models or digital surface models using Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry, this review describes other applications of UAS observations that help to assess risks, identify impacts, and enhance decision making. As the frequency and intensity of abrupt cold region hazards changes, it will become increasingly important to document and understand these changes to support scientific advances and hazard management. The decreasing cost and increasing accessibility of UAS technologies will create more opportunities to leverage these techniques to address current research gaps. Overcoming challenges related to implementation of new technologies, modifying operational restrictions, bridging gaps between data types and resolutions, and creating data tailored to risk communication and damage assessments will increase the potential for UAS applications to improve the understanding of risks and to reduce those risks associated with abrupt cold region hazards. In the future, cold region applications can benefit from the advances made by these early adopters who have identified exciting new avenues for advancing hazard research via innovative use of both emerging and existing sensors.